The question was about Kobe Bryant’s ability, or inability as was the case in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, to seize control when it matters most and whether it was fair to compare the league’s MVP to former Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan.

However, it might just as well have been about the criticism directed at Bryant and his leadership by Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling on his blog earlier this week.

“It’s not fair,” Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Friday. “I said it before the series started. I’ve never seen a guy this talented get criticized as much as he does. It’s just completely unfair.

“He’s a great basketball player, the greatest player right now in our league, and probably top three or five in the history of the game in a lot of ways.

“He is, he’s just a criticized player.”

And it’s not just courtside observers. Boston’s Kevin Garnett also seemed to take a swipe at Bryant after helping the Celtics to a 97-91 victory in Game 4 on Thursday.

“Well, this team … if you watch them, if you’ve paid attention to them all year, usually the first half is team ball, second half is usually Kobe takes over the games,” Garnett said of the Lakers and Bryant. “It just looks like they wanted to get the ball to Kobe and him sort of finish it off. That’s what it looked like to me.”

Bryant scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half, but was powerless to stop the Celtics from rallying from an 18-point deficit at halftime.

“When you look at the shots he made down the stretch of the game (Thursday) night, he only does it every night,” Rivers said. “He’s just a terrific player. He’s driven like no other, and I think his drive … I know at times Michael got on his teammates, too, and that’s what all the great ones do.

“But when they do it and things don’t work, they’re usually the guy criticized for it.

“I love him as a player. I don’t know Kobe very well as a person, but when I’ve been around him, I’ve loved him that way, too.”

Rivers couldn’t say for certain whether center Kendrick Perkins could play in what could be the decisive Game 5 on Sunday night at Staples Center. Perkins strained his left shoulder early in the third quarter of Game 4 and did not return to the game.

In addition, Rivers said forward Paul Pierce aggravated his sprained right knee and also tweaked his right ankle Thursday. Rivers did not offer an update on point guard Rajon Rondo, who sprained his left ankle in the third quarter of Game 3.

“Well, we’re not in great physical shape, there’s no doubt about that,” Rivers said. “The fact that Rajon tried to go (Thursday) night was phenomenal.

“Perk, obviously the injury he had (Thursday) night could be significant, and we don’t know the results yet. But that’s clearly not looking great right now.

“It’s amazing going through this. That’s part of it. It’s a lot of physical and mental things that you have to go through, and we’re going through it.”

Neither the Celtics nor the Lakers practiced Friday.

The Celtics bench has been a reliable contributor during the NBA Finals, so far. That’s helped save them from a rash of injuries.

That was especially critical in Game 4.

With Rondo playing limited minutes and contributing only five points and two assists, Rivers had to rely upon Eddie House, who as the third-stringer behind Rondo and Sam Cassell had played minimal minutes since Game2 of the Eastern Conference finals.

House played 25 minutes on Thursday night – his most in more than two months – and his 11 points included a pair of 3-pointers and some key baskets as the Celtics staged the biggest NBA Finals comeback since the league began keeping such records in 1971.

Rivers said House was his choice because the Lakers were forced to guard him at the perimeter, meaning they couldn’t double-team Kevin Garnett down low.

“It was terrific,” Rivers said. “We would have gone with Eddie or Sam, honestly. We just needed a guard that they had to stay with so they couldn’t help.”

Veteran swingman James Posey had 18 points in just 25 minutes off the bench, power forward P.J. Brown had a big dunk down the stretch, and forward Leon Powe had three points and five rebounds in nine minutes as the Celtics’ reserves outscored the Lakers’ backups, 35-15.

In all, the Celtics’ bench has outscored the Lakers’ reserves, 108-82, in the series and built a 48-35 rebounding edge.

“A lot of these guys, when they decide to just have one single mind, sacrifice for the team and stop thinking about individual stuff, they become pretty good basketball players,” Rivers said.

Thursday night’s Game 4 had an 8.7 rating on ABC, down from a 9.2 for Game 3 on Tuesday night.

The network said the Celtics’ 97-91 victory in Game4 averaged 13,762,000 viewers and 9,851,000 households.

Through four broadcasts, the 2008 NBA Finals are averaging an 8.8 rating, up 42 percent over last year’s 6.2. Game1 earned an 8.7, and Game 2 had an 8.5.

Celtics injuries Celtics subs step up

Ratings dip for Game 4

Around the league

Bobcats: A Pennsylvania woman who says Michael Jordan fathered her child despite two DNA tests to the contrary has been barred from contacting the basketball great, his family or his representatives. Judge Gordon Miller granted the permanent injunction against Lisa Miceli. The 35-year-old woman from says Jordan fathered her 4-year-old son. Paternity tests say otherwise.

Cavaliers: LeBron James will be the only Cleveland player going to China this summer. The Cavaliers have declined permission for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas to play for Lithuania in the Olympics. General Manager Danny Ferry said Ilgauskas is a higher-risk player because of his injury history. The 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas was plagued by foot injuries early in his career and the Cavs are concerned about his lower back.

Hawks: Rick Sund’s first two weeks as general manager of the Hawks convinced him the team is moving in the right direction and should keep Mike Woodson as coach. Woodson, who in his fourth season led the team to its first playoff berth in nine years, has signed a two-year contract extension, Sund announced.

Heat: Miami hired David Fizdale as an assistant coach, bringing the 34-year-old back to where he began his NBA career. Fizdale was an assistant in the Heat video room during the 1997-98 season – starting in almost the same position that new Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra did 13 years ago. He spent the past five seasons as an assistant with Golden State and Atlanta.

Jazz: Utah forward Matt Harpring had surgery Thursday in Atlanta to remove two bone spurs from his right ankle. The team wasn’t sure how long Harpring’s recovery would take. Harpring is the team’s oldest player at 32. He averaging 8.2 points and 3.2 rebounds as Utah’s sixth man this season.

Seahawks: Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels will be the first witness to testify when the city’s lawsuit seeking to keep the SuperSonics from leaving for Oklahoma City goes to trial.